Verdet Kessler

Kessler is the daughter of a Bermudian ballet dancer (Verniece Benjamin) and German handballer (Detlef Kessler).^[2] She began playing badminton at the age of seven after trying it at a holiday clinic, taking up weekly training at the age of twelve and joining her first junior state team a year later. Her home club is the Glenelg Badminton Club.^[2][3]

In 2009, Kessler won the girls' doubles event at the U-19 Australian Junior International tournament partnered with Leanne Choo. She was also selected to join the Australian Junior Commonwealth Games squad.^[4] In 2011, she won the silver and bronze medal at the Oceania Junior Championships in the mixed team and girls' doubles respectively. In 2012, she represented her country at the World Junior Championships in Japan.^[5] In 2014, she won the women's singles title at the Oceania Championships after beat Michelle Chan of New Zealand.^[6] At the same year, she competed at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.^[7] Also in 2014, at the Ede Clendinnen Shield event, she was awarded the Cliff Cutt Trophy for exhibiting the "highest standards of sportsmanship, personality, court demeanour, playing ability and appearance throughout the tournament".^[3]